There’s a significant twist in what started as a high-profile murder case in Santa Barbara.
A man was fatally stabbed on State Street in downtown Santa Barbara on August 1, during the community’s annual Fiesta celebration. Two men were quickly arrested for the death of Anthony Bisquera-Hartley.
Sergio Rivas and Juan Fernando Rios were charged with murder. However, new video evidence has surfaced in the case since the filing of charges.
Bisquera-Hartley was believed to have been unarmed. But, prosecutors say the video showed he was armed with a knife and attacked one of the men.
They now say Rivas and Rios were acting in self-defense when they fatally stabbed Bisquera-Hartley. The murder charges were dropped. But both men are facing other counts, including being felons in possession of firearms.
Charges that the incident was gang-related were also dropped.
